Teaching Style and Philosophies
Curiosity and learning should be instinctive to children, but some need to learn that drive for education. In my classroom, students advocate for their own learning and strive daily to grow their brains. We work in a growth mindset, always seeking to improve and learn from mistakes. I take into account various learning styles to differentiate for student success. Project based learning and STEAM play a great role in their learning.
Curriculum integration is the foundation for my teaching. Too often classrooms are divided by subjects, teaching students to store material in separate categories in their brain. The true learning occurs when students are unaware as to the subject they are in because they become so engrossed in the connection that they truly take in the material. Classrooms should teach topics weaving in all subjects. For example, when teaching Rocks and Minerals for science, students completed centers to be able to utilize technology, measure and classify rocks, research North Carolina rock landforms, read and respond to nonfiction texts, and work on creative writing. The integration between the subjects allows student learning to be intertwined.
Pursuing my Masters of Arts in Educational Technology truly impacted my teaching in every way. I have found the balance between traditional classroom settings and those that flawlessly connect technology in every way to learning. Having a classroom that has piloted 1:1 Ipads, we use these tools and so much more on a daily basis to enhance the learning experience. Having a class of 21st Century learners, the need for global awareness is so present that teachers need to mold and shape their classroom to fit the demands of this changing world we live in. Students need to be prepared for college and career readiness, which means the use and implementation of technology. Many teachers try to avoid the need for changing their teaching to integrate technology, but we should embrace all that technology has to offer. In my classroom I allow students to take ownership of their learning and become familiar with tools to aid their production of work and demonstration of knowledge. Through my classroom website, I am able to share content, connect with parents, publish student work on our class blog, and so much more. Technology has proven to be the greatest pathway between student learning and content material.